Page 142 - Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History Vol I - Abraham to Coal

africa, postcolonial 27

A contemporary wall painting titled “Mastering Colonial History the Namibian Way” in
central Namibia.

tary governments were able to enforce the rule of law, tions shared the single goal of independence, once that
they were no better at addressing issues of poverty, health was achieved ethnic partisanship frequently became a
care, land reform, and employment than the civilian gov- stumbling block to national unity. There are close to a
ernments they had toppled. thousand different ethnic groups represented on the
African continent, and from childhood a people are
Forging National Unity made aware of their ethnic identity as keenly (if not more)
Nation building has been a major challenge for modern as they are made aware of their national identity.
African nations. Colonial “divide and rule” policies had Ethnic conflicts in the postcolonial era have been rou-
often privileged one group over another in terms of tine. Whether it is Yoruba versus Hausa versus Igbo in
political power or access to commercial advantages.The Nigeria, Kikuyu versus Luo in Kenya, Shona versus Nde-
period before and after World War II (when nationalist bele in Zimbabwe, Zulu versus Xhosa in South Africa, or
sentiments began to surge) saw the emergence of ethnic Hutu versus Tutsi in Rwanda, these conflicts have con-
(sometimes referred to as “tribal”) associations and tinued to haunt many modern states. The 1994 Hutu-
unions. In several cases these became the basis of more Tutsi conflict in Rwanda led to a genocidal massacre in
formal political parties. While the various disparate fac- that country. Political leaders have often actively or sub-